Contactor.



F. L. EAGER.

CONTACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 14. 1909.

Patented May 11, 1915.

WITNEES w 1 91 TTORNEY,

earns ATN ion.

CONTAOTOR.

Application filed October 14, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. EAGER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Vvaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Contactor, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of devices more commonly used in the operation of signals in connection with trolley cars, and the'object of the invention is to provide a device of this class having novel features of advantage and utility.

One form of device in the use of which the objects sought may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view in lengthwise section through the case of my improved contactor showing the mechanism in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a like view showing a slightly different form of actuator. Fig. 3 is a view in lengthwise horizontal section through the case showing the mechanism of both Figs. 1 and 2 in top View. Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating the construction of the dash pot.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 6 denotes a supporting rod or cable and 7 a trolley wire, that carries the electric current to be supplied to a vehicle for driving purposes.

The construction herein shown and de scribed for supporting said trolley wire over the track or way along which the vehicle travels is what is known as the catenary system and which is much in use at the present time to more or less rigidly support the trolley wire, there being one or more supporting rods or cables extending in the same direction as the trolley wire and located over it. Braces 8 extend diagonally from the supporting cables downward toward each other and toward the trolley wire at which point they are connected by ties 9, the braces thus forming a V-shaped structure with the trolley wire at the pointed or lower end. This is a well-known form of construction in what is known as the catenary system, and further description is therefore omitted herein as the construction will be well understood by those skilled in the art.

A case 10 is firmly secured to and supported upon the rods 8, this case being of suitable form and composed of any desired material. Any suitable means for prevent- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

erial No. 522,624.

ing endwise or sidewise tipping movement of the case may be employed, as braces or ties connecting it with the supporting system.

A frame composed of suitable material is secured within the case, this frame consisting of side parts 11 similarly constructed of skeleton form joined by posts 12. Each side part has a lower bar 13 and an upper bar 14:, the latter preferably being located at some distance from the top of the frame.

Shoes 15, 16 are supported upon the trolley wire 7 these shoes being pivotally connected at their meeting ends, as at 17. The outer ends of each of the shoes are pivotally connected with the trolley wire in any suitable manner. In the form of construction herein shown a clamp 18 engages with a groove 19 in the trolley-wire and pins 20 project from the opposite sides of the clamp into slots 21 in the shoe, it being understood that the connection for both sections of the shoe may be the same. This allows the inner or meeting ends of the shoe sections to rise away from the wire while holding the outer ends to the wire, the shoe sections being allowed a certain limited movement lengthwise of the wire.

An actuator frame 22 is pivotally secured to the ears 23 of the shoe sections, which ears also contain the pivot 17 This frame has an opening 24 for the reception of a buffer 25 which in the present instance is secured upon one of the posts 12 for supporting the side parts of the frame. This buffer and the opening 24 determines both the amount of horizontal and of vertical movement of the shoe sections and of the actuator 26, which is rigidly secured to the frame 22 and has at its upper end a nose 27. The upper edge of the actuator is tapered to a thin edge 28.

A sliding switch 29 is mounted for longitudinal movementin the frame, as shown herein rollers 30 being supported upon the side parts of the frame to aid in the free sliding movement of the switch.

Switch actuating levers are mounted between the side parts of the frame, one arm 31 of each lever being pivotally engaged with the switch, another arm 32 bearing a detent 33 and another arm 34: being connected with a rod35 secured to a piston within a dash-pot 36. The dash-pot and pistons are so arranged that the actuating levers are normally held to maintain the switch at its intermediate position and as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the piston being at the bottom of the pot as shown in Fig. 4: and the pressure of the air within the dash-pot maintains the switch long enough in position to insure full action of the electric current. The piston is of such weight that when unrestrained it will move to the bottom of the pot and thus return the connected parts to their normal position of rest, and it is of such size that the air will slowly escape around it, and as the air is thus expelled the switch slowly returns to its position of rest.

The tails 37 of the detents engage the under side of the actuating levers so that a pull downward upon the outer ends of the detents will cause the actuating levers to be rocked but a pressure upward on the outer ends of the detents will allow them to yield without imparting movement to the levers. A guide 38 is secured preferably to the frame in position to control the movement of the actuator 26 when the latter shall have r been raised sufiiciently to pass a detent to cause operation of the actuating levers. \Vhenever the actuator shall have been raised sufiiciently to engage a detent the presence of the guide will prevent the actuator from operating the actuating lever not intended.

Conductors are mounted on the switch bar to properly control the flow of the electric current to the mechanism to be actuated in the operation of the switch bar. The invention is not limited to any particular arrangement of the conductors on the switch bar nor in fact toany specified movement of the switch bar nor to any special mechanism to be actuated by the movement of the switch bar. In order, however, to aid in the proper understanding of the invention, I

have shown and described herein an arrangement of conductors and of a mechanism to be actuated thereby, the numeral 39 denoting a positive conductor and the numerals 4:0, 41 negative conductors. A primary contact 12 rests against the positive contact 39 and secondary contacts 43, it are located to touch the positive contact 39 in certain positions of the switch bar 29. The contact 42 is called a primary contact in that it is the contact which first receives the current to lead it to the conductor'39 i and the contacts L3, 44 are called secondary contacts in that they take the current and conduct it from the contact 39. The primary contact 42 is connected by wire 45 with any proper source of electric current,

' and wires 46, 17 connect the contacts 13, 14

pose of properly controlling the flow of the electric current to the negative or return conductor which may be a wire, rail or like means for returning the current. The pair 4-8 of the negative contacts are connected up in the circuit by wires 50, 51, and the pair 49 is also properly connected up in the circuit by wires 52, 53.

The dash-pots 36 are pivotally mounted as at 54 to permit of proper movement, and the frame 22 is pivotally connected with the shoes 15, 16 as by the pivots 55, 56, this connection being loose enough to permit the proper movement of the shoes and frame without binding the parts.

Let it be assumed that a car or vehicle is moving in a direction toward the left with respect to Fig. 1 with the shoe borne by the car resting against the wire 58, which forms a guide therefor to direct said shoe against the sectional shoe composed of the sections 15, 16 appurtenant to the actuator 26. As the shoe on the car comes in contact with the section of the sectional shoe on the wire the latter is moved horizontally to the position shown in Fig. 1 and as the shoe on the car approaches the center of said sectional shoe the latter is raised, turning on the pivot 17, forcing the actuator 26 upward and in a direct line. The nose 27 will engage the detent 33 at the left, as shown in Fig. 1, moving the detent upward, the nose passing beyond the detent which falls to the position shown. As the car shoe passes beyond and leaves the sectional shoe the actuator 26 falls in a direct line, the nose 27 engaging the detent 33 at the left, moving the actuating lever on which said detent is mounted, sliding the switch bar 29 to the right. This movement of the switch bar will disconnect both pairs of negative contacts from the conductors 10, 4-1 and will bring the secondary contact into connection with the positive conductor 39, the secondary cont-act 13 still remaininguout of contact with any conductor. being connected with any suitable source of electric energy the flow of current will be as follows: long the wire to the primary contact L2 to the positive conductor 39 from which it is taken by the secondary contact A l through the wire 47 connected with any desired mechanism, as a signal device to be operated.

Should the vehicle after passing a contactor as above described return to the opposite side of said contactor the switch bar will be moved in the opposite direction, the operation being as follows: The shoe on the vehicle striking the sectional shoe 15, 16 will force it horizontally in a direct line to the opposite end of its throw from the position shown in Fig. 1, carrying with it the actuator 26 and moving the latter in a direct horizontal line. vehicle approaches the center of the sec- The wire As the shoe on the tional shoe the actuator 26 will be raised vertically in a direct line and then after the vehicle has passed will be returned, operating the actuating lever 31 shown at the right of Fig. 1 and moving the switch bar 29 to the left. This will connect the primary contact 2 with the secondary contact 43, and the electric current will travel through the wire 46 to the device to be actuated, this mechanism being especially adapted for actuating the disks including a part of the signal mechanism illustrated in my copending application, filed March 6, 1909, S. No. 481,781.

The form of device shown in Fig. 2 is as to the greater part of like construction to that shown in Fig. 1. The actuator 120 in this form of the device consists of a finger having a slot 121 through which passes one of the posts 12. The switch bar actuating lever in this form of the device also includes the guide illustrated at 88 in the structure shown in Fig. 1. This switch bar actuating lever 122 is preferably formed to a sharp edge at its lower point and is mounted on a pivot 123, the upper end of the lever engaging the switch bar in the same manner as hereinbefore described with regard to the structure shown in Fig. 1, in this arrangement ofmechanism, however, it will be noted that a car passing in a certain direction will move the switch bar 29 in a direction opposite to that in which it would be moved in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. This, however, will make no difference in the operation of the apparatus, as the required change in the wiring will readily occur to any electrician. As a car approaches this contactor the wire 7 will be lifted by the shoe on the car, tipping the actuator 120 and moving its upper end in the same direction in which the car is moving. As the car approaches the center of the actuator it will be lifted, which movement is transmitted by the slot 101, and as the shoe on the car passes under and to the opposite side of the pivot 12 the upper end of the ac tuator 120 will be moved in a reverse direction from that in which the car is traveling, striking the lever 122, swinging it on its pivot and moving the switch bar 29 to the left.

While I have shown and described herein a form of mechanism to be operated by the actuator 26, such actuating mechanism may be of various forms and constructions, and the details of construction and operation of the actuator 26 may be departed from to a greater or lesser extent without avoiding the invention.

1 claim 1. An actuator movably supported, means for supporting the actuator to move bodily in transverse directions to position it and to operate it by contact of a moving object,

a plural number of actuated members positioned to be operated by said actuator, and actuated mechanism including a switching member to control an electric circuit.

2. An actuator movably supported, means for bodily moving the actuator successively in transverse directions to position it and to operate it by contact of a moving body, ac tuated mechanism operatively connected with said actuator and including a switching member to control an electric circuit.

3. An actuator movably supported, means for supporting the actuator to move in a direction toward and from a moving object and also in a direction transverse thereto to position the actuator and to eflect its operation by passage of said moving object, a plural number of actuated members positioned to be operated by said actuator, and actuated mechanism connected with said members and including a switching device to control an electric circuit.

4. A supporting wire to conduct electricity, an actuator connected with said wire, means for moving the actuator in a vertical and a horizontal direction to position it and to operate it by contact with a moving object, and a plural number of actuated members positioned to be operated by said actuator.

5. A supporting wire, an actuator connected with said wire, means for moving the actuator in a vertical and in a horizontal direction to position it and to operate it, means for guiding said actuator, a plural number of actuated members positioned to be operated by said actuator, and a switching device operatively connected with said actuated members. i

6. A supporting wire, an actuator con nected with said wire, means for moving said actuator in transverse directions to position it and to operate it by contact of a moving object, mechanism to be operated by said actuator and including a plural number of connections between said actuator and mechanism to be operated thereby, said mechanism also including a switchlng device to control an electric circuit.

7 A supporting shoe, an actuator secured to said shoe, means for moving said shoe in transverse directions to position said actua tor and then to effect its operation, actuated mechanism including a plural number of actuated members positioned to be operated by said actuator, and a switching device operatively connected to be operated by said actuated mechanism.

8. wire to conduct electricity, a shoe supported on and connected with said wire, an actuator, a connection to attach the actuator to said shoe, the connection of the shoe to the wire being constructed to cause pivotal movement of the actuator in a vertical and in a horizontal direction by the movement of said shoe, and switching mechanism including a plural number of members, each of which is to be operated by said actuator in a manner depending upon the direction of movement of an object to contact with said shoe.

9. An actuator, means for supporting the actuator in the path of a moving object, means for raising the actuator and for moving it in the same direction of movement as that of said object to position the actuator and then to efi'ect its operation, a plural number of acuated members positioned to be operated by said actuator and a switching device connected with the actuated members to control an electric circuit.

10. An actuator, means supported in the path of a moving object to raise the actuator and to move it, by contact with said object, in a direction transverse to the direction of said raising movement, a switching device to complete an electric circuit, said switching device including a switching member, a plural number of actuated members, and connections to "cause each of said actuated members to control the movement of the switching member.

11. A supporting wire, an actuator, one of said parts being supported by the other, means for lifting the actuator, and for moving it on a pivotal support, and a switching device to control an electric circuit, said switching device being disconnected from but positioned to be operated by said actuator.

12. A supporting wire, an actuator, one of said parts being supported by the other, means for lifting the actuator, and for swinging it on a pivotal support to engage a. switching device, the switching device to control an electric circuit, said switching device being disconnected from but positioned to be operated by said actuator, and

means for guiding the actuator in its movement to engage said switching device.

13. A supporting wire to conduct electricity, an actuator, one of said parts being electrically connected with the other, actuated mechanism including a switching device and a plural number of actuated members, each positioned to be operated by said actuator, and means supported for operation by a moving object and constructed to control movements of said actuator to cause it to engage an actuated member depending upon the direction of movement of said moving object.

1'1. A supporting wire to conduct electricity, a sectional shoe pivotally supported on said wire and movable lengthwise thereof and adapted to be raised from the wire, an actuator pivotally connected with each section of the shoe, and actuated mechanism positioned to be operated by said actuator and including a switching device.

15. A supporting wire to conduct electricity, a sectional shoe supported for lengthwise movement on said wire, said sections being pivotally connected and adapted to be raised, an actuator pivotally connected with each of the sections to be carried thereby, actuated mechanism including a switch and actuated members, and means for guiding the actuator in its movement to engage said actuated members.

16. A wire to conduct electricity, a housing supported in operative relation thereto, switching mechanism inclosed within said housing, an actuator supported in said housing f r movement in transverse directions, and a shoe operatively connected with said actuator supported by said wire.

. FRANK L. EAGER. lVitnesses:

ARTHUR B. JENKINS,

LENA E. BERKovITcfi.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

